vignettes
by DramaDelicacy
Summary: oneshot collection —
1. sight

It was subtle at first, and she thought it was just her imagination. The small glances he'd give _her;_ Onodera Kosaki. Chitoge thought she just happened to walk by his line of sight, and not because he purposely picked her out in the crowd.

But once she became aware of it, she'd catch him doing it more and more and —

"He looks at her an awful lot," Chitoge said, leaning on the railing of the school rooftop.

Marika froze for a split second before releasing an annoyed grunt. It had been a while since she made her advances towards Raku obvious. Chitoge had wondered why; this was the girl who was bedridden from a sickness unknown, this was a girl controlled by a mother with no empathy, this was a girl with the appearance of a damsel in distress but a personality and will stronger than anyone Chitoge knew.

This was a girl who wouldn't have given up if it wasn't for a good reason.

And Chitoge knew, in the way Marika reacted, that she had just found the reason.

"He does," Marika said simply. She bit down on her sandwich and chewed almost furiously. "It's frustrating, isn't it?"

"I think," Chitoge sighed, gripping the milk carton slightly tighter. "It's unexpected."

"Is it really that unexpected?" Marika looked at her. "Raku-sama is quite an open book."

"Yeah," Chitoge smiled, finally turning to look at Marika.

Marika's expression changed to something of distress but it was gone in the next second so Chitoge thought it was simply her imagination. She was never very perceptive, she supposed, so this could be another thing she misread.

"We can be happy without him," Marika said a few heartbeats later.

Chitoge looked at her, surprised at first, but understanding settled in immediately.

"You're not the type to give up," Chitoge said, sipping the rest of her milk away.

"And you're not the type to cry over something so trivial," Marika said. She reached into her pocket and took out a handkerchief. "Here."

"Well," Chitoge looked at the piece of cloth, before finally realizing that she had, indeed, been crying. "This is unexpected."

"Yeah," Marika smiled but not quite.

"I'm sorry," Chitoge looked at her. Her blue eyes glistening sadly under the sun. Marika knew she wasn't talking about the crying, or the fact that she had to offer her personal belonging for her to wipe her sorrows away.

She was apologizing for the times their (oddest kind of) friendship was hilariously threatened by a man who was never theirs.

"Me too," Marika said, feeling like crying but she'd done her crying months earlier.

The next time Chitoge caught Raku looking at Onodera, she smiled and squeezed his hand slightly tighter.

"What is it?" Raku asked, an unamused and slightly impatient expression plastered to his face.

And Chitoge never thought the day would come for her to (not-so-willingly) let go of his hand. Because she supposed it was one thing to realize that the man you love is in love with another, but it's another to realize that the man you love just couldn't tolerate you any longer.

Raku was kind, and he held her hand and kept her grounded on days when she needed it. He helped her with things that mattered the most and she will always be grateful to him for it.

So she supposed it was unfair for her to chain him to her this way. With the possible war between families coming to an end, there was simply no reason for them to be together. And he _knew_. So Chitoge supposed he was just being nice, or maybe he was a coward; waiting for her to end it because he didn't want to be the one to.

There were many things for her to _suppose_ , but in the end —

"Go to her," Chitoge smiled, pushing him gently towards Onodera. "That's where you should be."

she supposed she was never in his line of sight.

* * *

 **a/n**

n'aw so that was pretty depressing for a first chapter. this fic will contain various themes, from romance to angst to (maybe) humor. but i think romance and angst will be the main themes (because i love writing angst even though it hurts me).

marika might be a bit ooc here but i just love that passive aggressive rival / friendship thing between her and chitoge.

— dd.


	2. hands

The first time he held her hand it was during their first pretend date. Both the members of the Bee Hive Gang and Shuuei Clan had been there, closely watching their every move. When he made the move to hold her hand, she flustered and almost slapped him across the country before remembering that something bigger was at stake.

So she took his hand, sweaty with nerve, and held her complaints.

* * *

The second time he held her hand it was on their fourth date. The gangs had been there again to make sure everything was okay. Chitoge and Raku had fought the day before and tension was high between the families.

She took his hand begrudgingly (they hadn't resolved their conflicts) but decided at the end of the day that (it) wasn't a big deal. She squeezed his hand lightly and he squeezed back, and just like that, they weren't fighting anymore.

* * *

The third time he held her hand it was during the Cultural Festival. He was wearing an, ironically, gorilla mascot for their class' _Cosplay Café_ and he'd tripped on nothing.

Chitoge approached the loud sound, and laughed when she saw him sprawled on the ground helplessly, unable to get up.

"Stop laughing at me and help me, gorilla woman," Raku grunted, annoyed but most of all embarrassed.

Chitoge was surprised that he was able to identify her from the sound of her laugh alone since he was facing the floor. She wiped the blush off her face with a grin and walked towards him.

"Here, take my hand," she said, reaching for him.

Raku flailed around for a while, unable to turn in the heavy suit, and she sighed. Kneeling in front of him, she took his right hand and squeezed.

"Right here, beansprout," she said. "You're helpless."

She felt him squeeze back and her blush returned.

"This is the worst," he grumbled, following her move to stand.

"It's not too bad," she said, patting the side of the gorilla's face with her other hand.

"But it is," he said and she could almost see him roll his eyes.

"It's funny, I'll tell you that," she laughed.

"Kirisaki-san!" their classmate peeked his head out from the classroom. "Your break's over."

"I'll be right in!" she nodded.

She turned to Raku and saw the head of the mascot nodding off.

"Don't fall asleep, beansprout," she flicked its forehead.

"I'm not," he said, his voice tired. "It's just hot in here."

"Bear with it a bit longer," she smiled. "Your break should be soon."

"I hope so," he sighed. "I'm going to kill Shuu for this."

"I think this suits you," Chitoge chuckled.

" _You're_ the gorilla," Raku smiled as he tried to pinch her cheek with the oversized gorilla hand.

"Yeah, well," she gently slapped away his hand. "This is the best irony so far."

"Yeah," Raku nodded. "I suppose it is."

"Well," Chitoge sighed, letting go of his hand finally. "See you later."

"Work well," Raku grinned, giving her a thumbs up.

"You too," Chitoge laughed, waving at him before disappearing into the classroom.

She didn't want to admit it, as she put the wings of her costume back on, but having her hand held by Raku felt (almost) too comfortable.

And she disliked the fact that she didn't want to let go.

* * *

The next time they held hands, she had lost count on how many times it had been since the first. Things changed after the Cultural Festival and she'd find him reaching out for her even when it wasn't necessary.

When they finally noticed this change in the relationship, she flustered and Raku coughed away the awkward atmosphere starting to settle in.

"This is weird, right?" he asked her, uncertain.

"I think," she sighed, pushing away the nervousness in her heart. "It's surprisingly natural."

She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back as if on cue.

He laughed and shrugged. He moved his fingers so that they tangled with hers and held her hand more intimately.

"I think," he smiled when he saw her blush. "My warm hand balances out your cold one."

"That's grossly cheesy," Chitoge cringed, trying to lean away from him.

Raku laughed and leaned over to plant a kiss on top of her head.

" _That's_ weird… right?" he blushed when he realized what he'd done.

"I think," she grinned, ignoring her very obvious red face. "We're surprisingly a perfect fit."

* * *

 **a/n**

haha. hahahahah. talk about cheesy. it's difficult for me to write fluff cause i never write them. angst is where i rule, tbh. hopefully they're not _too_ ooc. i just always thought they would have a very natural relationship if it isn't for how much komi exaggerates chitoge's flustered behavior around him.

— dd.


	3. bracelet

When Chitoge came back from New York with a newfound love for colorful beaded bracelets, Raku never thought it would last the week — much less the month.

But here she was, on a Sunday afternoon, creating her (possibly) hundredth beaded bracelet. She had given every single one of her creations to the members of the Bee Hive Gang and they swore they'd treasure it with their life. When she gave a simple black and yellow one to Claude, he had burst into tears and Chitoge had walked away without looking back, shaking her head in annoyance (all the while sporting a small satisfied smile).

So it was a wonder to _him_ , her boyfriend, as to why she'd given one to literally every single person she knew but not him. He was getting annoyed seeing their friends at school sporting one of her homemade bracelets. She was getting better at mix-matching them, too, and by the time she gave one to Tsugumi, the combination was so stylish that people kept pestering her to start selling them online.

Chitoge had dismissed them, simply saying that it was a hobby and nothing else.

"Tell me how you got into this again," Raku nudged her back with his foot.

He was laying on her bed reading a manga and Chitoge was crouched over a table at the end of the bed. She made an annoyed sound, slapped his foot away, and ignored him.

"Tell me," Raku nudged her again.

"I told you already," Chitoge groaned, catching his foot and pinching his toe lightly. "My baby cousin in New York was making some and her parents gave me the complete set before I came back."

"I thought this was gonna be a temporary thing," Raku said, wiggling his toes playfully. Chitoge spread her fingers and interlaced them with his toes to stop him from moving, the tips of her fingers resting gently on the sole of his foot.

"Well, it's fun," Chitoge turned, smiling. "You should give it a try."

"No," Raku pulled his foot away. "It's lame."

"Oh?" Chitoge raised one eyebrow at him. "And _why_ is it lame?"

"I mean," Raku pushed himself up to get a better look at her. "It's a girl—"

"Yes?" Chitoge narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Nothing," he mumbled, getting off the bed and stretching lazily.

"You were gonna say it's a girly thing, weren't you?" Chitoge sighed, putting down the bracelet she was working on.

"No…" he said, hesitantly. He knew how much Chitoge hated it when people gender certain roles and hobbies that didn't need gendering. Such as creating homemade bracelets. And he cursed himself because he knew better than saying such an ignorant comment.

"Make me one," Chitoge said.

He turned to look at her and she was sitting on the edge of her bed, smiling up at him.

"Why?" he asked, taking a small step towards her.

"It'll be cute if I make you one and you make me one," she said, reaching out for him.

Raku took her hand involuntarily and sighed.

"You'll have to teach me," he said.

"It's not that hard," she grinned, pulling on him while making space for him on the bed.

"Your first few ones were a disaster," he commented, nudging her shoulder lightly. "Move over more."

"Okay, yeah," Chitoge laughed, moving more towards the wall. "It takes _some_ skills."

Raku made himself more comfortable on the bed before crouching over the table, grabbing a piece of transparent elastic string and a few colorful beads.

"For someone who said this is a girly activity you sure do get into it fast," Chitoge said, looking at Raku who was deep in concentration all of a sudden.

"That was a stupid thing I said," Raku said, focusing to get a yellow bead into the string.

"It was a stupid thing you said," Chitoge nodded. She grabbed her unfinished bracelet and continued working on it, reaching for a dark purple bead.

"… this is fun," Raku mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

Chitoge turned towards him, smiling. She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It is."

* * *

The next morning at school, Chitoge had a satisfied smile on her face when she saw him adorn the bracelet she made him as a phone strap. The dark purple and blue combination with a few light pinks in between them matched the color of his phone surprisingly well.

"You're such a cheese," she commented, walking up next to him.

"I guess we're the same," he grinned, looking at her phone where she had used the bracelet he made her as a phone strap as well.

"This'll make it less likely for me to lose it," Chitoge said, blushing slightly. She looked at the bracelet, admiring the pastel colors he chose — light yellow and pink with a few purples in between.

"Well," Raku shrugged, putting his phone back in his pocket. "This'll make it more obvious to people that I belong to you."

"God," Chitoge groaned, interlacing her fingers with his. "Stop yourself before I smack you across the country."

"That's fine," Raku kissed the back of her hand. "You'll find me anyway. After all, I'm chained to you now."

"Oh my _god_ ," Chitoge covered her face with her empty hand. "This is why I didn't want to make you one."

Raku laughed, kissing her temple before pulling out his phone again to check his messages. Chitoge glanced at the bracelet he made her and sighed.

"It's so annoying how good you are at this on your first try."

* * *

 **a/n**

all aboard the cheese train. i re-read this story a few times but i think there are still some parts that need a second read before it makes sense so i apologize for that.

— dd.


	4. luck

Chitoge cursed her luck. In all honestly, she cursed fate. She cursed the phrase "third time's a charm" because in her case, it felt more like a mocking curse.

She sat there, hiding behind the tree. Always hiding, always running. Even after she promised herself she'd stop running. Even after she promised Marika.

But she saw _them_ , so she hid. Because there was always something between _them_ that she could never quite comprehend, and could never squeeze herself into.

She heard Onodera's confession. This time not addressed to an unconscious Raku, but a very much aware Raku. She felt her hands shaking and she tried not to laugh out loud at the situation.

At the very least, she wanted to confess _first_. To get the rejection out of the way; she wanted to be rejected _properly_.

Not this way. Not by hearing them confess their love to one another.

But here she was. For the third time. Hearing these two people, who just seemed to revolve back to one another, confess their love.

Chitoge heard the silence. It went on for a while, and she decided to turn around — take a peek. Out of curiosity, and perhaps she was a masochist, she wanted to see.

She saw Raku's back. She saw him shaking and she saw the tears. She saw Onodera, she saw her front and she saw the tears.

And Chitoge froze. And she found herself crying again.

She supposed… when you've loved someone for so long, thinking it was unrequited, the moment you found out it was mutual you'd be crying too.

Chitoge saw Raku shuffling towards Onodera, and she turned her back to them again. She knew what was going to happen and it wasn't something she needed — or should — see.

So Chitoge sat there, in silence, crying at the world. After a while, she heard them leave, still crying. And she supposed this was a suitable end.

After all, it would only be cruel for her to break the bond between soulmates. Who loved each other a long time ago, only to be reunited and have that love reignited.

Chitoge was never a strong believer in soulmates, but she supposed Raku and Onodera were living proof that it exist.

Sighing, Chitoge leaned her head against the tree. She looked up, and the sight of stars (so brilliant and endless) almost made her nauseous.

"Well," she smiled bitterly. "Third time's a _bitch_."

* * *

a/n

i saw raws of the newest chapter and fuck my heart hurts for onodera. so i do feel guilty for turning this around to still be … a somewhat chitoge pity. raku and onodera is the definition of tragedy, is2g.

so i suppose, by letting chitoge be hurt again in this fic, that 10 years didn't just go to waste for them. it's just… such a tragedy. i almost… almost want raku to be with onodera. _almost_.

that chapter just wrecked me.

— dd.


	5. sunday

Chitoge loved lazy Sundays; Sundays where you didn't have homework due the next day, Sundays where you get to sit around without a worry — Sundays where she could spend her time with her boyfriend doing absolutely nothing.

Raku walked into her room with a tray of iced tea for both him and her. Placing the tray on the coffee table, he turned to Chitoge who was laying on the bed playing her 3DS.

"Here," he offered her a glass before sipping some of his.

Chitoge stretched out lazily, and groaned when she wasn't even close to reaching the glass.

"Bring it to me closer," she said, turning back to the small screen.

"Stretch harder," Raku rolled his eyes, placing his drink back on the tray.

"Beansprout, come _on,_ " Chitoge moaned, turning to look at him. "I'll give you a kiss."

"You give me a kiss every day," Raku shrugged, moving to put her drink back on the tray.

"Okay, okay, wait," Chitoge sighed, sitting up. "I'll give you four black and purple tulips, and ten holly bushes."

Raku raised an eyebrow at her offer and grinned. He turned to his bag, took out his 3DS, and moved closer to the bed.

"Here," he smiled.

"I can't believe you'd rather that than a kiss from me," Chitoge pouted, feigning offense. She took the drink from him and sipped half of it in a few seconds.

"Someone's thirsty," Raku's eyes widened slightly. He took the glass from her, putting it back on the tray.

"You were taking too long," Chitoge said. She leaned her body away from the wall, making space for Raku as he crouched over her to his spot.

Chitoge disliked being cuddled close to the wall, it made her feel suffocated. She also hated having to step over him whenever she needed to get out of bed.

"Am I coming over or you're bringing them?" Raku asked, laying on his back. He turned on his 3DS with one hand and stretched out his other arm for Chitoge to lay on.

"You're coming over," Chitoge said, laying her head on his shoulder. "My inventory's full."

"This is uncomfortable," Raku groaned as he struggled to move his Animal Crossing mayor around in the game.

"We didn't have to do this position," Chitoge rolled her eyes. Raku moved his arm, allowing her to move away. They laid next to each other instead, shoulders touching.

"Is your gate open?" Raku asked, eyeing her screen.

"Hold on a sec," Chitoge said. Raku watched her move her mayor around as she planted a few bushes and pine trees along a path.

Raku turned his attention back to his game. His town was coming along, he had gotten a few of his favorite villagers (dreamies, they called it in the community) and his goal of finding all the fossils were almost completed. He moved his mayor around, planning paths and greeting his villagers.

"Okay," Chitoge said after a while. "Gate's open."

"Thanks, babe," Raku smiled. "Did you put out the bushes for me?"

"The bushes are in front of the train station," Chitoge said. "I always drop the ones I never use there. The flowers you need are at the beach."

"Gotcha," Raku gave her a small nod. He stopped when he saw Chitoge hovering over him, her brilliant blue eyes staring at him.

"Four black and purple tulips, and ten holly bushes. Nothing more," she said.

"I'm not going to steal from you," Raku rolled his eyes, almost offended that she even thought he'd do such a thing. Though truth be told, he would've done it too. Not like she kept an inventory check of her plantations.

"Sure you won't," Chitoge scoffed before leaning down to kiss him on the forehead. She was about to lay back down on the bed before she realized Raku was staring at her. "What?"

"I want another kiss," Raku said, almost childishly.

Chitoge's eyes widened slightly in amusement. She chuckled before leaning down to give him a kiss on his nose.

"There," she grinned. "That's enough, right?"

"I don't mean that," Raku huffed, frustrated. He propped himself up on one elbow, turning to face her. Chitoge laid her head back down on the pillow, her attention back to the game. "Oi, gorilla woman. I want another ki—"

Chitoge pushed herself up, at the same time pulling his head down towards her. She caught his lips with hers and she felt him smiling into the kiss. Raku moved his hand away from his 3DS to cup Chitoge's cheek. He angled his head, deepening the kiss and he noticed Chitoge pulling him down towards the bed. He heard a soft thud as Chitoge dropped her console on the soft carpet, and felt her arms circle around his neck. Opening his lips, Chitoge didn't waste any time to push her tongue into his mouth; tasting and feeling the inside of his mouth.

 _Shit_ , Raku cursed when he felt the tightness in his pants simply from her kiss.

"Wait," he breathed, pushing away from her. He looked at Chitoge and flustered immediately at the sight of her breathless; her cheeks flushed from the heat and her blue eyes darkening with lust. "Ah, fuck it."

Chitoge's attempt to laugh was swallowed by his kiss when he captured her lips once again. They both felt the temperature rising in the room and Chitoge had to stop Raku when he moved his hand south towards her shorts.

"Raku," she smiled when he pulled away, clearly disappointed. "You need to pick up the flowers and bushes."

"Screw them," he said, leaning down to kiss his girlfriend yet again.

"Dude, no," Chitoge moved her head away and he ended up kissing her pillow instead. "I went through all that trouble to open the gate. Pick. Them. _Up_."

Ignoring her, Raku turned his head and started kissing down her neck instead. Chitoge gasped and moaned at the familiar sensation and she squirmed underneath him.

"Beansprout!" Chitoge shoved him away with much difficulty. "Pick up the stupid things and then we'll continue."

" _Fine_ ," Raku huffed, annoyed at the fact that out of everything, it was Animal Crossing stopping them. He took his 3DS and Chitoge watched his face scrunch up with frustration as he made his way to the train station to visit her town. Smiling, she leaned towards him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm picking up the stupid things, stop kissing me."

Chitoge chuckled inwardly at how upset he was, but it honestly just made her want to tease him more. She placed a hand on his shoulder and another on his chest. She moved her lips from his cheek down to his jawline, before sticking her tongue out and licking the side of his neck. She felt him shudder with anticipation and she grinned triumphantly at the effect she had on him.

"Chitoge," Raku moaned when she sucked on a spot right by his collarbone that drove him absolutely insane. " _Stop_."

"Pick up the things," Chitoge smiled against his skin.

"I'm trying to," Raku said, running his mayor through the fastest route to the beach.

"If you step over my flowers, I _will_ kill you," Chitoge paused to look at his screen. He stopped himself just in time before he stepped on her purple roses.

"Didn't step on them," Raku grinned sheepishly, and almost smugly.

"Yeah well, take your time," Chitoge smiled before turning her attention back to his skin. "Follow my path."

"Your path takes me around your town," Raku groaned, shuddering when he felt her kiss bellow his collarbone and towards his chest. "You know what, fuck it."

He closed his 3DS and tossed it aside, it fell on the pillow right by the bed with a soft thump. Chitoge grinned before he turned to her and captured her lips with his. He bit on her lower lip and she gladly opened her mouth to him. Raku stuck his tongue inside and he allowed himself a taste of his girlfriend. She tasted of iced tea.

"You're the worst," Raku panted, pushing himself off her. Chitoge looked at him, smiling mischievously. She pulled him back down and kissed the corner of his lips.

"That's what you get for choosing flowers and bushes over my kisses," she laughed.

"Okay, well," Raku leaned over her, grabbing his 3DS from the floor. "I'm still grabbing them."

"I know," Chitoge said. She grabbed hers and rolled over on the bed so that she was laying on her stomach.

Raku laid back down, turning his attention back to the game. Halfway into making his way towards the beach, Chitoge's character met up with him.

"Are you making sure I won't steal from you?" he looked at her.

"Nah," she grinned. He noticed her typing something into the game with her stylus. "Okay, there."

Raku looked at the screen and laughed lightly when he saw her character's speech bubble spell out _I love you_.

"I love you too," he smiled, nudging her lightly.

Chitoge grinned at him, leaning over to give him a soft peck on the lips before focusing back on the game.

"I love Sundays," she commented absent-mindedly.

Raku knew it was just her thinking out loud yet he couldn't help but smile at her statement.

"I love you more," he smiled, turning his attention towards her.

"I love you most," Chitoge smiled, kissing him once again.

* * *

a/n

lmao talk about cheese, jfc. i've been having this idea of them just chilling and playing the 3DS for a while now but i've been having some difficulties trying to actually write it. so hopefully i did this some fluff justice haha.

— dd.


End file.
